Mom’s excitement grew as the day drew near. She mentioned she felt better than she had in a long time. Until Friday, the day of the wedding.

Instead of a trip to the Delta King, we took a trip to the emergency room. Mom could barely stand. Her speech was slurred and she couldn’t keep her eyes open. She was talking nonsense. It looked like a stroke.

All the way to the hospital, she kept murmuring, “I want to go to the wedding.” She didn’t get what she wanted. Instead, she got an express ride through a packed ER waiting room.

All it took was for me to say, “I think my mom is having a stroke.” They whisked her through the door of no return so fast I think I got windburn. And a lot of glares from folks who’d been waiting for hours to be seen.

As it turned out, Mom wasn’t having a stroke. She was severely dehydrated, which is dangerous for someone her age. Drinking enough water is imperative to keep an aging person’s kidneys functioning. Especially if they take a lot of medicine, as Mom does.

I don’t recommend announcing to the emergency room staff that your loved one is having a stroke or a heart attack, but I can tell you it sure sends you to the front of the line.